Aldi’s Christmas Cocktail Challenge...

"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Jack Frost nipping at your nose

Yuletide carols being sung by a choir

And folks dressed up like Eskimos"

Eek, it is my favourite time of the year.

I have always loved Christmas.


This year will be so special as both my eldest boys, who are now at Uni will be back home for a few weeks.

Around this time of year we like to try out new baking recipes and try all the Christmas food in the shops. I also have to step up my keep fit routine, so that I can eat and drink whatever I like...

A few weeks ago Aldi set me a challenge. To try some of their Award Winning Spirits and make some cocktails!!

To be honest this was a bit of a challenge to me as I am not used to making cocktails! I have drunk a few over the years, although I am usually boring with spirits, adding just coke or lemonade. Not any more though!

To start my cocktail recipes I did a lot of research online. What is a cocktail?  How is it best served?

Here is what I have learned about making the perfect cocktails :

• Taste : A cocktail should taste strong and like the main alcohol ingredient used in it.
• Ice : A cocktail should have lots of ice in it. Ice bursting above the cocktail is best!
• Fresh : A cocktail should contain fresh ingredients.
• Mixers : A cocktail should contain some mixers to dilute the alcohol taste a little.
• Presentation : A cocktail should look nice and feel special.

So here are my seasonal cocktail recipes and I have named them after some of my favourite Christmas songs:

1.) Merry Xmas Everybody : Vodka

"What will your daddy do when he sees Your mama kissin' Santa Claus Ah ah"

Ingredients per glass:

• 50 ml of Vodka
• 200ml Orange Juice
• 2 Handfuls of ice
• 150ml Lemonade
• Two slices each : Orange, Lemon and Lime.
• Squeeze of Lime

You will need:

• A one pint glass for each

Method:

1. Place the 50ml of Vodka into the glass.
2. In a smoothie maker blend the orange juice, squeeze of lime and ice cubes together.
3. Put into the glass.
4. Add the lemonade.
5. Mixed all together and add the slices of orange, lime and lemon inside the glass.
6. Drink straight away with a straw.
7. Yummy!

2.) Fairytale Of New York : Whisky

"It was Christmas Eve babe, In the drunk tank. An old man said to me, won't see another one. And then he sang a song. The Rare Old Mountain Dew. I turned my face away. And dreamed about you"

Ingredients:

• 25ml Whisky
• Handful Strawberries
• 25ml Apple juice
• 25ml Lemonade
• Strawberries and ice cubes

Method:

1. Pop the Whisky into a glass.
2. In a blender mix the handful of strawberries and apple juice together.
3. Mix into the glass with the Whisky and add lemonade, stir well.
4. Finish with adding ice cubes and cut up strawberries.
5. Drink straight away through a straw.
6. Tasty.

3.) All I Want For Christmas Is You: Gin

"I don't want a lot for Christmas. There is just one thing I need. I don't care about the presents. Underneath the Christmas tree. I just want you for my own. More than you could ever know. Make my wish come true oh. All I want for Christmas is you"

Ingredients:

• 40 ml Gin
• Handful frozen Raspberries
• Squeeze of Lemon, Lime and Orange
• 25ml Orange juice
• 200ml Lemonade
• Few more frozen Raspberries for putting into glass
• Slice of Lemon, Lime and Orange for side of glass
• Ice cubes

Method:

1. Place the Gin in the glass.
2. In a blender pop a handful of raspberries, squeeze of lemon, a squeeze of lime, a squeeze of fresh orange, and the 25ml of orange juice and blend together.
3. Pop the mixture into a sieve if you do not like bits and add into the glass with the Gin.
4. Mix in the lemonade.
5. Pop ice cubes and raspberries into the glass and stir.
6. Decorate with a slice of lemon, lime and orange. 
7. Drink straight away through a straw.
8. My favourite one!

4.) Santa Claus is Coming to Town : Brandy

"He's making a list, he's checking it twice. He's gonna find out whose naughty or nice. Santa Claus is coming to town. Santa Claus is coming to town. Santa Claus is coming to town"

Ingredients:

• 25 ml Brandy
• 25ml Apple juice
• Squeeze of Lemon, and a squeeze of Lime
• Half Apple
• A few Strawberries
• 25ml Lemonade
• Ice cubs and chopped apple

Method:

1. Mix the apple juice, squeeze of lemon and lime, half of apple and strawberries in a blender.
2. Put the juice into a glass and add Brandy and lemonade.
3. Add ice cubes and chopped apple to serve.
4. Drink straight away through a straw.

About this post:

I was sent some of Aldi's award winning spirits for the purpose of this review. All thoughts are my own and I was not paid for this post.